• Sunday-What'sUP November 1 - 09:58 pm

Without reading more into it, I believe today's Shoebox Memory must have been taken through the telescope at the little tourist trap on US-2 west of St. Ignace. (see AirNinja.com). We do know that it was taken prior to November 1, 1957, as that was the day the bridge opened. Here is a neat overview of the project from another "Day in History" (Engineering). And be sure not to miss Pasty Central's own Day in History for this first day of the new month. Did you remember to set the clock back?

Have a good week :o)

I love the feeling I get when I cross the bridge when heading north..... which I will this week when I leave Georgia!!!

Very cool! I'm sure that's exactly where this picture was taken.

Greetings:

How do you know that the pre Nov. 1, 1957 picture of the Mackinac Bridge was not taken from the Mackinaw City side looking NW?

JT

What an amazing picture! The bridge was being built when my new hubby and I came back from our honeymoon the summer of 1956. We took the Milwaukee Clipper across Lake Michigan, went to Wisconsin Dells, worked our way up to my grandma's house in Fulton, and then came back down through the straits. I have old 8 mm film of our crossing on the ferry with the unfinished bridge structure in the background. I wish I could figure out a way to pull stills from that film. I need to get those old films on CDs, too. I haven't looked into that process, either, and I'm afraid they're going to deteriorate, if they haven't already.

But I was thrilled to see this picture. Thanks for sharing it.

I've always LOVED the Mackinaw Bridge -- and it may have something to do with my birthday being two days later than its November 1st, 1957 birthday! But in any case, I've loved the Bridge and the U.P. since the first time I crossed over it with my Aunt and Uncle back when I was around 11 years old!

I wonder if they charged the full toll fair to cross at that time. Seems to me they should have offered a discount.

while sailing aboard the SS CRIPSIN OGLEBAY we were enroute to Green Bay from Erie, Pa when at sunset we approached the new Mackinac Bridge with its last piece being lifted in place. The sun was retreating into the west in as it was going over the horizon we were treated to this view of a huge red ball under the bridge. Had no camera in those days so view must stay etched in my brain. In earlier times, as a 16 year old, we rode the VACATIONLAND auto ferry as we went to National Guard camp in Grayling with the 107th Engineers in Calumet.

I'm sure Michigan is very proud of this engineering marvel. I'm glad I finally had the chance to do the Bridge walk this year, and it seems the Bridge might be a little bit bigger when you walk it.

I'm wondering if the picture was taken from a boat - maybe a boat from Mackinaw city to Mackinaw Island

Eddyfitz,

You're aware the Michigan has abandoned Highway M-107, the to the Porkies, and that it is now a county road?

From Wikipedia: M-107 was built in 1935 and named to honor the 107th Engineer Combat Battalion. The Michigan Legislature named it the "107th Engineer Memorial Road " in 2001. M-107 was transferred from the control of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to the Ontonagon County Road Commission on 2008-06-04. This transfer decommissioned the M-107 designation and removed it from the state trunkline system.

I ordered a machine that I can plug into my vcr and turn my movies, from an old movie-style camera, into dvd's. I DO NOT order things off the t.v. shopping stations, but, I could not find anything like this in the stores. I will also be able to take the SD card from my digital camera and download onto a cd or dvd and take that to the store to do my pictures. A lot of times I do not want to go to the store right away to do them.

My movie camera records onto small tapes that I would have to put into another thing that looked like a vcr tape, to put into the vcr. A lot of work to go through all that.

I like the machine I ordered because I can plug right into the VCR and it does not have to be hooked up to the t.v. Lets hope it works.

Mona Grigg (Islandantique),
There are services or people out there, at least in La Crosse, WI that will transfer old videos, 8 mm film and other types of picture to cd or dvd's. Just look in the yellow pages under video or photographers. I am sure you will find someone to do it. Good Luck

Today is Free Fare Day for all non-commercial traffic crossing the Mac.

JT ...To answer your question ... The North approach is different from the South approach. In the South the bridge starts right out over the water while on the North end there is a long causeway.

I'm 99% positive that this was taken from the St. Ignace side of the bridge near where the current bridge overlook park is.

Not sure if it was taken from a boat or from shore with a zoom lens.

My father was born in calumet in 1936 and when they moved down state in 1949 they had to take the ferry across every time they went back and forth, i been crossing it every year since 1970 when i was born i would love to go right underneath it someday with a small boat. someday

Richard, thanks for the info about transferring my 8mm film. I'll look into it.

To the person who wondered about the bridge fare when it first opened. It was around $4.00 and stayed that way for several years until the bridge was paid for. Then it went down to $2 or $2.50. It's now $3, so it's creeping back up to that $4 mark!

A time lapse of its construction would be (literally) fantastic!